The initiative, developed by Community Support Officers Liam Dixon and Barry Elliott, has seen around 5,000 friendship bands given out to primary school pupils containing phone numbers to ring if they get lost or separated from their parents.

Funding for the bands and accompanying packs containing safety and stranger danger advice has come from Blyth Valley Council's youth engagement funds.

The wristbands contain the general Northumbria Police phone number along with space for the youngsters to write a contact number for their parents or guardian.

If they do get lost they are taught how to ring the numbers or find a responsible adult to ask.

Cramlington Neighbourhood Sergeant Grant Dawson said: "We've had a great response from all the schools we've visited.

"As well as handing out wristbands, the CSOs have been giving an input into school assemblies about how to stay safe when out and about.

"Information on crime prevention is also passed to the youngsters to give to parents.

"Hopefully they will never need to use these, but any item which helps improve children's security has to be a good thing."